A Series of Random Events
by Red Okami writer -Jiseru
Summary: Just a different oneshot for each chapter. Hopefully each will explore a different genre. More will be added on eventually. #4 Ethical Values
1. Smile

The war savaged dangerously to an obviously high extreme. Children cried. People screamed. Snow fell. Winds promising a blizzard howled. Bright crimson splattered all over the glittering, crystal ice.

Mandarin should be happy. The long four years of this horrific war was finally coming to an end, and although it was more or less of a tie between the Hyperforce and Skeleton King, it seemed that the winning team leaned slightly more to the hands of the horrendous, newly awakened lord. He attempted a smile, but for some reason his lips cracked into a somewhat miserable frown. He leaned against a decaying tree and continued to watch the unnerving killing scenes replay before him over and over again. The cold wind caused his fur to tingle and shiver.

"It's not exactly how you planned it, is it, Mandarin?"

Mandarin scowled, mentally making fun of himself for being so lonely so as to want to be near the Prisoner's Cell. He gazed over his shoulder, staring back at the deep azure eyes blinking through the icy faded glass. Mandarin smirked ruthlessly. The thought of having the valuable second-in-command behind bars suddenly made him feel a bit better.

"Of course it is," Mandarin scoffed, tightening the gray, bloody tattered scarf around his neck.

"We both know you don't really feel that way."  
"Bah, why would you care?" Mandarin spat ruefully at the ground, disgusted upon accidentally tasting the foul faint taste of his own metallic blood. "We're going to win, anyway."

"Well, we were once dear friends..." Antauri slowly neared the glass. "...Remember?"

"That was a lifetime ago, Antauri."

The two awaited in silence for a while, both freezing and wincing at the sudden piercing, painful scream that showed signs of yet another innocent life taken away. Mandarin squeezed the end of his scarf when the scream continued to jerk and echo like a phantom in the dark- playfully forcing him to hear it over and over again in his mind.

"Mandarin..." Antauri said softly. "The team and I wondered for some time... why did you abandon us?"

Mandarin sighed, casting a small warm cloud out of his mouth. "I wanted to win."

Antauri twitched, startled at such a reply. "Win? Win what, exactly?"

The cold air current cause the orange simian's fur to bristle once more. "The fear. I wanted- _needed _to win... against my fear."

"Fear?"

"The dark."

Antauri stared at him, his eyes friendly and trusting despite what the once-leader had put him through. "You were afraid of the dark?"

Mandarin didn't respond, and this reaction caused Antauri to restate his question, "You're still afraid of the dark, aren't you?"

Mandarin remained quiet. Having been with him for such a long time, Antauri knew better than to expect an answer from him.

"Antauri," Mandarin turned to continue watching the war. "Why did you get captured so easily?"

Antauri smiled sadly. "Well, my... my circuits are going down from the result of the weather and time. I will probably reach a blackout sooner or later. Ot... Someone can fix it. There's no need to worry-"

"I wasn't worrying," The orange monkey intruded, his whole body still and tight. "I was just curious."

Antauri paused, and, after a while, smiled. "Well... thank you, then, for being curious about me."

Mandarin sneered, regretting answering him at all. "Stop talking, Antauri. You're starting to irritate me."

The silver psychic sighed, almost harmoniously, and sneezed slightly. "It's alright. I'll be hibernating soon, anyway..."

Mandarin turned around to look at him, slightly staggered by this unusual statement.

Antauri's eyes were closed; his forehead gently leaned against the glass. His ocular orbs started to dull out, and his entire body went loose... the warm smile on the psychic's face remained.

The orange simian stared at Antauri's lifeless body. One thing about this disturbed him, yet at the same time opened his mind to wonder as he stood in the chilling blizzard. He lifted his head to the cloudy, foggy sky, and felt the stinging, burning ice drop delicately on his face.

How, in his last few minutes of consciousness...

...Did Antauri manage to make Mandarin, for once without being ruthless, or cruel...

...Smile?

* * *

~I saw everyone doing this, so I decided to go with the flow. Of course, didn't do this to copy everyone, I just thought it would be a great opportunity to excersize my knowledge using different genres.~

This story I found in my folders unfinished, and decided to finish it, even though it's not all that good...

Enjoy.  
GENRE: **Friendship**


	2. What's Worse?

Alright, alright.... it's not my best. I wanted to make a poem but this gave me an idea. I hope you enjoy it.  
By the way: Pick any two monkeys you want. You could pick whoever is easier to imagine with.  
GENRE: **Comfort/Hurt**

* * *

"What's worse than your ice cream melting?"

"When it falls on the ground and you can't eat it no more."

"What's worse than rain?"

"When you can't go outside."

"What's worse than being pushed in the water?"

"When you can't get out and push him back in the water."

"What's worse than a bad movie?"

"When no one has tomatoes to throw at it."

"What's worse than a cheetah with a moustache?"

"When a cheetah with a moustache chases you halfway through the jungle."

"Okay, then, here's a hard one... What's worse than goodbye?"

"...When you don't say goodbye."

"What's worse than crying?"

"Your reason to cry."

"What's worse than a friend leaving?"

"When that friend had a choice."

"What's worse than never seeing your friend who left?"

".....When I do get to see him again."

He stopped, glancing at his friend, who wouldn't stop staring at the ceiling.  
The male sighed. Maybe they should stop playing this game for now....


	3. Happily Ever After

Once again, probably not my best. But I do hope you enjoy reading it as I have enjoyed writing it.  
**Genre: Angst **

* * *

"What is this?"

"Oh. It's a book I had recently recovered from behind the Super Robot. Someone must have misplaced it, and I... well... didn't want to just _leave _it there..."

Mandarin stared dimly at the cover, his eyes staring skeptically at the literature, and then back up at Gibson. He read the title, slowly and dubiously, "Fairy Tales?"

"It... it does sound ridiculous, doesn't it?" Gibson gave him a weak chuckle. Mandarin responded by cocking his brow, Gibson's words obviously not believable.

"And if it is ridiculous, Mr. Gibson," Mandarin put the book aside, on the scientist's desk, staring at the dormant bottles and viles and things laying neatly at his desk. "Then why are you wasting your time reading it instead of doing your duty?"

Gibson swallowed unassertively, quickly eyeing the book. He gazed down, embarrassed, avoiding his leader's angry ocular orbs.

"Well, Mr. Gibson," Mandarin picked the book back up, flipping to the last page. He read aloud, watching Gibson's response, "And they lived happily ever after." He dumped it back on the table, letting the glass on it quiver and shake madly, one even hopping onto the floor.

The scientist cringed as the delicate bottle smashed, tiny, dangerous fragments littering the metallic stage.

"Do you _really _think that there is such a thing called 'happily ever after', Mr. Gibson?"

Gibson remained silent as Mandarin began to pace around the lab, avoiding the sharp bits of glass on the floor. He made a sharp turn to face the blue simian.

"Well, Mr. Gibson?"

Gibson cleared his throat. "I... do believe it's possible, Mandarin. It... may not be as magical as the books say, but I do believe-"

"Once we encounter the great war, you we will see how 'possible' it may be." Mandarin stepped to Gibson again, facing him, his face completely austere and vile.

"But, if we win the war..."

"What about the men who had died during this awesome, bloody battle, Mr. Gibson?" The scientist paled, the leader now glowering deeply at him. "What if you witness one of the goriest massacres that has ever occured? What if one of our brothers betray you? What if the only chance of survival is to kill one of your companions, your _brothers_, Mr. Gibson, or be considered a traitor yourself?" He knitted his brows together tightly. "We don't have many choices. And the choices we do have don't always have a happy ending."

The blue monkey gawked, his mouth open, his eyes as wide and dull as a dying man's. He closed his lips again, tightly. He shook, turning back to his desk, beginning to scribble on some paper and files, not giving the fairy tale book a second glance.

Mandarin picked up the book again and stared at it vaguely. He threw it in the nearest trash can, walking back to inspect the others. "There are no such things as 'happily ever after'."


	4. Ethical Values

"Antauri, you have gone too far."

The black monkey stared blankly at the wall before him, ignoring his leader's black, furious ocular orbs. Mandarin drummed his gloved fingers at the desk before him, waiting for a response. When he got none, he continued.

"You are being absolutely _ridiculous_."

"I am not."

"_Yes_, you are. In fact, not only ridiculous, but positively _childish _as well!"

"It is my choice."

"An absolutely ridiculous _and _childish choice."

"Yes, but-"

"_Do it_."

Antauri remained silent, still faced away from the orange monkey. Mandarin began to tap his foot, clenching his fists on the table, twitching from animosity. It had gone on for _days_ now, and his comrade was _still _refusing to adhere to his directions. Honestly, it was for _his own good_. And it was not as if he was going to lock him in a freezing containment... although... that _might _be threatening enough if Antauri continued to reject complying with his wishes...

"I am not patient, _Antauri_."

"I am not asking you to be patient... _Mandarin_."

The leader perked a brow, eyes spiking. It was very apparent that this time had rendered the normally serene and passive spiritual adviser moody and edgy. It was a _long _time. Mandarin could only imagine what would happen if he was in the same position as his team member. Run for the hills, and you still wouldn't make it...

"Antauri, you are growing weaker. Listen to me this instant." When Antauri again chose to ignore his command, Mandarin thrust the object towards him, using his other fist to slam the table. "_Meaning: NOW."_

"No."

Mandarin forced him to turn toward the item and pointed an erect finger at it. "Now."

Antauri folded his arms and closed his eyes, turning his body away once more. "_No._"

"You ignorant, impossible...!" The indignant simian threw all he had at the black simian, who was only happy to receive the insults rather than obey his leader's orders.

Really, not that it was hard...

* * *

"Any luck?"

"Nope."

Gibson plopped down beside Nova, Sprx, and Otto as they watched the two heads argue like kids in a playground. The scientist gazed at them in amusement.

"Antauri is only makin' it hard for himself," Sprx chuckled. "But hey, it's not everyday you see Antauri acting all saucy 'cause of something like this."

"But he is getting weaker..." Nova pointed out. "I wish he would just do it. I mean, we're doing it, and it's benefiting us all."

"Unfortunately that is easier said than done, Nova," Gibson said, wincing as Antauri casually slapped the object off the table. Mandarin had gone berserk. "It is mainly due to his ethical values and in what he believes in. Perhaps he even has had a dreadful experience with-"

"-_meat_?" Nova, Sprx, and Otto asked unanimously. They all grinned, picturing it.

Gibson sighed, waving his hand submissively. "Yes, yes. Whether Antauri cannot stand the taste of meat or simply cannot tolerate crossing one of his many moral standards, we will never know."

"Aww, but what's wrong with eatin' _meat_?" Otto piped, holding up one of the many hoverburgers Mandarin had brought for Antauri. "I mean, it's not _so _bad. It's delicious!" And with that he had magically made it disappear by tossing it into his mouth. "See?"

"Do not talk with your mouth full, Otto," The scientist said, making a face.

"Sorry."

"Although it's not really pleasant eating meat everyday, I guess it's better than nothing." Nova mused.

"_ANTAURI, YOU MONKEY-DOODLING MORONIC IDIOT, YOU WILL EAT THIS AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT!"_

The foursome immediately turned their attention back to the fight. Antauri apparently said something cute and, although it didn't exactly carry, it made Mandarin's face turned red with anger.

"It's also better than going through _that_."

"I agree."

"Same here."

"Mmmhhmmf."

"When do you think the Shuggazoomians are going to start growing their crops again?" Nova asked Gibson. She was now witnessing Mandarin pick off the object- a bag with Antauri's dreaded meat inside- and tossing it back in front of him.

"Hopefully soon so that Antauri's fast could end as quickly."

"And, Mandarin's rage."

"Yup."

"-GULP- Maybe I could try to regenerate the fields by making some sorta-"

"No."

"Aww! You guys never give me a chance..."

"Yes, but the _last _time you had regenerated fruits and vegetables, we had a whole _new _set of monsters to fight against the formless. In fact, unless I gathered incorrectly, it was _you _who had started this all."

Otto slumped, taking another bite of another burger. "I said I was sorry."

"It's okay, Otto." Nova said, linking an arm around Otto. "How were we supposed to know that those mutant veggies would destroy all those fields?"

"We should've kept an extra supply of vegetables and fruits, too."

"Yeah, and maybe we could prevent from all this happening again."

Mandarin stalked past them, eyes aflame, muttering things no leader should ever utter in front of his teammates.

"Uhhh... so how'd it g-?"

"_Curse _that _hopeless vegan_!" Mandarin cried out, shaking his fist toward the second in command. "_FINE! _Starve to death for all I care!" He immediately turned tail and proceeded his angry stalking to what the team guessed was his quarters. Probably to bash his head in through one of the walls again.

"Isn't that what he said yesterday?"

"Yeah, and the day before, and the day before and the day before. I think he's gonna come again tomorrow."

* * *

This is my second attempt at making comedy. I hope you enjoy!

Genre: **Comedy**


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